The mystery behind a “cursed” shipwreck has finally been solved 350 years after it disappeared during its maiden voyage.
The Griffin, which disappeared with valuable cargo in 1679, was identified by a couple of shipwreck hunters.
5
5
5
Steve Libert and his wife, Kathie, claim to have found the infamous ship.
The ship was built by the French explorer René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, with the aim of sailing through unexplored waters where only canoes had gone before.
The Griffin was the first and largest ship at the time to enter the Great Lakes beyond Niagara Falls.
But it disappeared without a trace with all six crew members and a valuable cargo of furs (estimated at £640,000 in today’s money) on board on its return voyage.
Rumors have long circulated that the Gryphon had been cursed by the prophet of the Iroquois tribe.
The ship has become a “holy grail” for shipwreck hunters since its disappearance and many have attempted to discover its resting place.
Steve and Kathie believe they are the first to discover the ship’s whereabouts.
They published their fascinating find in a new book, Le Griffon and the Huron Islands – 1679: Our Story of Exploration and Discovery.
Steve said: “Our extensive research and deciphering of historical documents led us precisely to the resting place of an undiscovered colonial-era ship.”
The couple says remains found in 2018 near Poverty Island in Lake Michigan matched the Griffin’s description well.
They also believe that a bowsprit discovered a few miles away in 2001 is another component of the ship.
The Griffin’s owner, La Salle, stayed on the island where the ship stopped briefly and never learned the fate of his ship.
But multiple theories have emerged over the years speculating what might have happened.
Steve said: “Father Louis Hennepin said he was lost in a violent storm.
“Some say that native Indians boarded the ship and killed the crew. Then they set it on fire.
“Many believed that the Jesuits were responsible for the ship’s disappearance.
“La Salle was sure that the captain and his men mutinied, sank the ship and absconded with all the skins.”
According to legend, the Griffin was cursed by Metiomek, an Iroquois prophet, who predicted the demise of La Salle and his ship.
Metiomek apparently told him: “Beware! Darkness like a cloud is ready to envelop you.”
“The curse of the Christian Indian falls on you and your great canoe.
“She will sink beneath the deep waters and your blood will stain the hands of those you trusted!”
According to native traditions, the Griffin became a ghost ship, sailing through the moonlit skies while the crew can sometimes be heard singing.
Steve explained: “Both the Seneca and Iroquois felt threatened by the construction and sight of Le Griffon, and felt it was a threat to the ‘Great Spirit.’
“The Seneca were amazed by the French for building such a large canoe. They were so concerned for their safety that they attempted to burn the boat during construction.”
Just as the prophecy predicted, La Salle was killed by his own men during an expedition in 1687 and his ship sank.
But evidence suggests that it was a strong storm that brought about the end of the Griffon.
The ship was reportedly caught in a storm that lasted four days and its bowsprit became separated from the rest of the ship.
Steve said: “The distance of 3.8 miles between the bowsprit and the main sections highly suggests that the Indians did not sink it either, nor did La Salle’s men mutiny and sink the ship.
“If any of the latter were true, the ship would rest in deeper water rather than shallow water.”
Carbon dating of the bowsprit indicates an age range that falls within a year of the sinking.
An approximate dating of the remaining remains places it between 1632 and 1682.
Steve, who dreamed of finding the ship since learning about it in history class as a child, did not have an easy path to his discovery.
Search efforts were delayed due to a 10-year legal battle with the state of Michigan, which prevented explorers from excavating the site until 2013.
Michel L’Hour, a French archaeologist, nicknamed “Indiana Jones in a diving suit,” proposed the theory that the rest of the ship was nearby.
Steve then spent two years reviewing satellite images before his breakthrough.
He found the keel and frames of the boat and the dive in September 2018 confirmed his suspicions.
He said: “I was emotionally drained of all my energy and was in a complete state of relief and exhaustion, but I could still scream the words ‘we found him!’ once I surfaced.
“Michel was right when he said the main body of the wreck would be four miles from the bowsprit.”
But the state continues to hinder the process, as the couple is still prohibited from carrying out a deep excavation.
Libert said: “I think the State feels that we are invading its sovereignty and that we are nothing more than treasure hunters who intrude on the rights of academia and archaeologists.
“But we can systematically search the bottom using non-intrusive techniques and remote sensing devices to obtain conclusive diagnostic evidence.
“It’s only a matter of time before we achieve our goal. Possibly a cannon, hopefully with the date stamped on it.”
5
5